Demons
by CassieCastle47
Summary: When Kaylee rescues a stranded and injured Browncoat from one of the outer planets, Mal has no choice but to take her in. What he doesn't realize, though, is that it won't be long before he can't let her go.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Ha! I don't own Firefly, because if I did, it would still be on the air. **

**A/N: First Firefly fic….hope you like it! Xx Cassie**

CHAPTER 1

"Zoe, you seen Kaylee?" Mal barked.

"No, sir, not recently," his first mate replied, shaking her head.

"Gorram curiosity," Mal muttered. Then, he raised his voice, but kept the irritation out of it as he turned to River.

"Hey, Little One?" he called. she turned, meeting his eyes with that wide-eyed gaze. "You see Kaylee lately?" he asked.

"No," River replied. Her gaze flickered past Mal to Serenity's open door, and then back. "But we should be ready. she'll be back soon, and not alone." Mal had barely had time to process this when they heard Kaylee's panicked call from outside.

"Capt'n!" she yelled. "Simon!" Mal and Simon looked at each other and then ran off the ship, following the sound of Kaylee's voice. It didn't take long to spot her, gently supporting someone's limp body. The captain and the doctor ran toward them. As they got closer, Mal and Simon could see that the woman had been shot, and that she was barely conscious.

"Kaylee!" Mal groaned in frustration as he and Simon helped Kaylee pick the woman up and continued toward Serenity.

"I know, Capt'n," she replied. "We don't rightly have the space, but I just couldn't let her be. She's hurt." As they moved up the ramp and onto the ship, everyone moved out of the way. They carried her to the infirmary and laid her down. Simon immediately shooed them away and began working on her. Mal scrubbed his hand over his face, glancing back through the window, where Simon was working almost frantically on the woman.

"How in the 'verse are we to know she ain't Alliance?" Mal demanded of Kaylee.

"Cause I saw 'em drop her here," she replied immediately."

"Who did?" Mal asked, and Kaylee sighed.

"Them," she stressed. "Alliance." Mal stared at his mechanic. He knew the Alliance was cruel, but what in the 'verse could she have done to bring this on herself? Mal turned to the rest of his crew, all of whom were staring at him.

"Who is she?" Inara asked.

"Ain't a clue," he replied. "But, thanks to Kaylee, she's ours for now." He turned to Wash.

"Let's get her in the air," the Captain directed, moving out into the open to press the button which cause Serenity's door to clank and begin to drift closed, narrowing the strip of sunlight bleeding into the ship. Wash nodded and headed to the cockpit. River drifted by, barefoot, looking disturbingly calm.

"I told you," she said softly. Mal just shook his head. That was one weird girl.

"Kaylee, are we good to fly?" he asked. She nodded, still standing in front of the infirmary window. Mal caught her reflection in the glass. She looked fearful, and younger even than her years.

"Yes, Capt'n," she replied quietly. Mal just nodded and strode away from the infirmary, already looking ahead to getting her off his ship


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Again, ha. No. I don't own Firefly. **

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who read Chapter 1! I really appreciate it. Love to all of you. **** Xx, Cassie**

CHAPTER 2

She was in pain; that was all Elizabeth Halten could think. And, seconds later, she realized she had no clue where in the 'verse she was, let alone with whom. Then, there was a voice.

"She's awake. Zoe, can you go find Simon?" someone asked. _Zoe? Simon? What the hell? Who were these people, and where was she? _

"Hi," the same voice said. Elizabeth turned her head slightly, catching sight of a woman maybe two years younger than her own twenty-four years. "I'm Kaylee," she said. "I'm the one who found you." Serenity's newest passenger then felt recollections of her Alliance capture and later release, of the gunshots, and of briefly meeting Kaylee, wash over her. But it was all quite fuzzy, really.

"Elizabeth," she croaked. "Go by Halten."

"Halten," Kaylee repeated. "I like it."

"Thank you," Halten replied. "Where am I?"

"Flying somewhere in the 'verse, not sure exactly," Kaylee told her. "Spaceship Serenity, Firefly class. I'm the mechanic," she added with a note of pride in her voice. And then, the infirmary door opened and both Mal and Simon entered. Simon introduced himself and did a quick examination of Halten, before stepping back to allow the captain access to his latest passenger.

"Captain Malcolm Reynolds," he said. "Who are you?" Halten was taken aback by his harsh tone.

"Elizabeth Halten, I go by Halten," she repeated.

"Well, my mechanic saved you. It ain't my choice to keep you on, but it seems I don't really have a choice, 'least till you get better. Enjoy your stay on Serenity. Need anything, don't ask me." And then, he was gone, just as quickly as he had come, leaving Kaylee and Halten alone again.

"Don't mind him," Kaylee said after a beat of awkward silence. "He takes a little gettin' used to, but don't you fret about it. He's just being Capt'n." Halten nodded, but she was still puzzled by the less-than-warm welcome he had given her. Kaylee was sweet, though.

"So, I'm sure you'll meet everyone soon, but I oughta warn you about 'em," the young mechanic was saying.

"The first mate is Zoe, you ain't got nothin' to worry about with her. she's married to Wash-he's the pilot-and he's a real nice guy. He's funny and all, and he ain't gonna let us explode any more than I will, even though that's almost happened a few times." Kaylee smiled and Halten tried to find the humor in the whole 'exploding spaceship' scenario. "Anyway," Kaylee continued, "you also have Jayne, and he doesn't exactly have a title or nothin', but he likes grenades a lot, so I'm sure he's real helpful so long as the Capt'n keeps control on him."

'_Grenades?'_ Halten thought.

"And then there's Inara," Kaylee was saying. "She's a Companion, rents one of the shuttles, but she ain't the snobby type or nothin', she's real nice. And somehow, we ended up with Shepherd Book."

"A preacher?" Halten asked. Kaylee nodded.

"Surely," she confirmed. "He's real deep, and he's got a lot of stories to tell, and all this great advice; everybody loves him. Then there's Simon, you met him. He's the doctor, obviously. He can patch up pretty much anything." Halten noticed a pink tinge to Kaylee's cheeks when she spoke about Simon. "And then there's his little sister, River. She was in this Alliance camp, see, and they messed with her brain. Simon rescued her and snuck her o0nto the ship. They're running from Alliance, but then again, so are we. Anyway, River. She's sweet, usually, but she's messed up a little in the head, so she goes kind of crazy sometimes. She's much better than she used to be, and she's really smart. Just kinda watch out for her, though." Halten nodded.

"That's quite a crew," she commented. Kaylee laughed. It was a melodic sound, still grasping a portion of that ringing childlike innocence. Halten couldn't help but smile at the sound.

"Yeah," Kaylee agreed. "We're a little mixed up, but we do alright." Halten just couldn't resist.

"Tell me about the Captain," she requested. Kaylee nodded.

"Mal, they call him, usually. Me, I just call him Capt'n. Anyway, he and Zoe fought in the war and they lost a lot of friends. So, Mal ended up buying this ship, and she wasn't even running at the time. Story goes, he and Zoe found Wash first, and then this other mechanic. Well, that mechanic brought me aboard once when they were docked. Serenity wasn't running right. Anyway, long story short, I saw the problem, plain as day, and I fixed it. Capt'n offered me a job, and I took it. Been here ever since," Kaylee said with a smile. "See, he ain't as mean as he seems, he's got a great heart, really. You just don't see it too much." The young mechanic cleared her throat.

"You'll heal up pretty fast," Kaylee informed Halten. "We always do. When you feel better, I'll take you on a tour. Serenity's a great ship." Kaylee looked up as the door slid open again, this time revealing Jayne. He grinned at Halten, then looked at Kaylee.

"You didn't say she was hot," he said. Kaylee rolled her eyes.

"Jayne, meet Halten," she said.

"Hi," Jayne said.

"Hi," Halten replied. Jayne was looking her up and down unabashedly. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I may be injured," she began, "but I'm neither stupid, blind, nor deaf," she said. "And I rather treasure my dignity." Jayne smiled.

"Fiesty, too." Halten just smirked at him.

"You have no idea," she said.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: heehee no….I don't own Firefly. Sadly. **

**A/N: Thanks for reading….by the way, for the Castle fans reading, can you figure out who Halten is based on? **

**Please R&R! Xx Cassie**

CHAPTER 3

In the next few days, Halten got visits from Zoe, Wash, Simon, Jayne, Inara, and Shepherd Book. Of course, Kaylee was there as often as she could be. The only two crew members she didn't see were Mal and River. Kaylee explained that River was afraid of the infirmary, so she wouldn't come and visit; Halten would meet her when she was better. It had been three days since Halten's rescue, when she took up Kaylee's offer of a tour of Serenity. She was wearing borrowed clothes from Zoe, who was the closest to her own body type.

Mal was sitting at the dining table when Kaylee and Halten exited the infirmary. He looked up, a faint expression of surprise flickering across his face before he quickly re-arranged his features to hide it.

"Hey, Capt'n," Kaylee chirped. "Look who's up!" Mal went back to slicing his apple.

"Shiny," he replied. "You ready to go back where you came from, Halten?" Kaylee sighed, but Halten smiled.

"Thank you, Captain Reynolds, for your genuine hospitality," Halten replied. She turned back to Kaylee. "What else do you have to show me?" she asked. She glimpsed something close to shock on Mal's face and smiled slightly at the reaction. Kaylee couldn't help but grin. This girl was quick!

"See you later, Capt'n," she said, already leading Halten up the stairs and chatting animatedly.

Halten's next big adventure awaited her upstairs; River. Kaylee peeked into the teen's bedroom.

"Hi, River," she said. River looked up and Halten was struck by both how pretty and how young she was.

"Hi, Kaylee," River replied, but her wide, light eyes were trained on Halten.

"Hello," Halten said softly.

"You are afraid," River answered. "You pretend that you aren't, but you are. Shepherd Book tells me not to be afraid. You shouldn't be afraid, either, Halten." With that, she breezed past them, her bare feet seeming to almost dance on the floor, her posture erect, her movements graceful. Halten watched her go, intrigued by the girl. Kaylee sighed.

"Well, that's River," she said. "I'm thinkin' she likes you."

Mal was eating his apple way too slowly. In fact, it was turning brown. Oddly, though, he found he didn't really care much. He was too focused on his whirling thoughts, all of which revolved around Elizabeth Halten. He was truly trying to dislike her, but the woman was making it pretty gorram hard! He'd tried insulting her, but that had certainly fallen through. She'd politely deflected without batting an eye, tossing in a splash of just enough attitude to get his attention without being rude or hateful, stunning him into silence. He'd made a point to stay away from the infirmary, but the rest of his crew had been in and out of there all week, and Halten was the object of their interest these days. At mealtimes, they would talk about their interactions with Halten. Jayne would say that she was a feisty one, and that he liked that. Book would say that she was insightful and bright. Zoe would say that she had a good grip on being a strong, independent woman. Wash would say that she laughed at his lame jokes, and that she usually had a few of her own to retaliate with. Inara would say that she was kind, and never judgmental. Simon would say that she was a compliant patient, but strong, and always pushing herself to do better, to heal faster. Kaylee would chatter about how sweet and friendly and fun to talk to she was. River would simply say that she needed a family. Mal would stay quiet, but he couldn't help but hear what they were saying about their newest passenger. Everyone seemed to really like her, and Mal himself was finding it kind of hard not to be drawn to her. Looking up, he could see Kaylee and Halten walking around upstairs, laughing and talking like long-lost sisters. He found himself smiling at the sight, and then wondered what the hell he was getting himself into.

The Captain entered the kitchen later that night and stopped dead. Halten was sitting there, in the chair Kaylee normally sat in, with her gun in pieces on the table in front of her, cleaning it the way he did every night with his own gun. She looked up, giving him a small smile. _'Wow, she was pretty'_. He shook that thought away just as quickly as it had entered his mind, mentally kicking himself.

"Hi, Captain Reynolds," Halten said.

"Call me Mal," he said, before even thinking about it. '_What?!'_ he thought. '_"Call me Mal." Really?' _He wondered where in the 'verse that had come from, and why the hell he had said it. By the look on Halten's face, he figured she was wondering the same thing.

"Okay..." she said slowly. "Mal, then." He nodded, feeling like such a idiot. What was wrong with him? He sat down across from her, eyeing her gun.

"What?" she asked. He looked up, meeting her eyes, and was struck by how gorgeous they were...that green and hazel mixture, flecked with golden, the way they glittered. He blinked, thankful that the lights were dim, because he was pretty sure he was blushing. "You were staring at my gun," Halten added. Mal nodded, clearing his throat.

"Yeah, sorry," he said. "It's just you're sitting here, at the table, cleaning your gun, about an hour before dinner, and..." he trailed off and she furrowed her brow. '_That's cute,'_ he thought.

"I'm not sure I follow you," Halten said.

"It's just that I do that. Clean my gun, here, this time of day, and I...thought I was the only one who did that," he finished, desperately wishing he had a better grip on his words right now. And his emotions, come to think of it.

"Oh," Halten said. "Well, I can leave, if you want," she offered. He shook his head.

"No, no, you're fine," he said quickly. Halten raised her eyebrows, a little puzzled by his sudden loss of composure and his agreement to have her within fifty feet of him.

"Okay," she replied, slowly lowering herself back into her chair as he, too, pulled out his gun and began to take it apart, slowly and methodically. After a moment, he cleared his throat.

"So, how are you feeling?" Mal asked.

"Much better. Pretty much as good as new," Halten replied. Mal nodded.

"That's good," he said.

"Simon's very skilled," Halten commented.

"He is," Mal agreed. "It's proven pretty helpful, havin' him around."

"I'm sure," Halten agreed. As they conversed, she couldn't help but notice the way the light sparkled on his eyes, which, incidentally, were **incredibly **blue. "Why isn't he a doctor at one of the big hospitals?" she asked.

"He was," Mal replied, glancing up at her and instantly regretted doing so, because he couldn't help but notice how nicely her dark hair laid in waves around her shoulders, and how thick and shiny it was...He shook his head, trying and failing to rid himself of that image. "He was," he repeated. "But then he found out about River being tortured, and he left it all behind to rescue her, and now he's on the run. They both are." Halten nodded, and then gave him a small, rueful smile that caused his heart to flip.

"Then again, we all are," she said. He nodded, unable to stop himself from rewarding her with a small smile of his own.

"You know, Halten, I think you hit the nail on the head with that one." There was a moment of silence, and they were both surprised to find that it wasn't even slightly awkward.

"So, it's going to be a week or more before we get you back home, I'm afraid," Mal told her. Halten smiled a little sadly.

"Home?" she asked quietly. "I don't exactly have one, Mal." The combination of her words, the tone she used, and the use of his first name sent his emotions into a whirlwind. He didn't know what to say to her quiet admission. After a moment, Halten shook her head.

"I'm sorry," she said. "So, a week. Not too bad. You'll only have to deal with me a few days, then." Mal stared down at his gun, finding that he was a little...well, less happy about that than he'd thought he would be. '_God, what the hell was__** wrong**__ with him?' _He cleared his throat-again. Halten noticed that it was a nervous tic for him, pushing away the thought that he was cute when he was nervous.

"Where you thinkin' you might sleep?" he asked. "I'm sure you're lookin' for a mite more privacy than the infirmary." Halten nodded.

"Kaylee has a hammock. We put it up earlier." Mal nodded, chuckling softly.

"She's like a puppy with you," he said. "Figures you're the best thing since engines, knowin' Kaylee." Halten smiled.

"I like her, too," she said. "She's sweet." Mal nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, she is. Childlike, almost, sometimes. But she's the best mechanic I'm gonna find. Knows what she's doin' once it comes to my ship." Halten couldn't help but notice the note of pride in his voice when he was talking about Serenity.

"You've got quite a ship here, Mal," she said. "Quite a crew, too." He looked up and their eyes met.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Kinda been feeling like we're missin' somebody, though." With that, he stood and left, leaving her to interpret that however she liked


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: nope.**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing! Hope you're enjoying this! Xx-Cassie**

CHAPTER 4

Halten leaned over the upstairs railing of Serenity, looking down at the main room of the ship. She'd been here a week now, and by Wash and Mal's calculations, it would be five days before they got back to Haven, to drop her off where they'd found her. She found herself deeply dreading that. In her week on Serenity, Halten has begun to feel a sense of acceptance, almost a sense of home. It sounded ridiculous, and she knew that. She'd only been here seven days, she barely knew these people; it couldn't be considered home. Why then, did it feel so much that way? Why did it feel like home for her, for the first time since she was a little girl? Halten was so deeply absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't hear Inara's footsteps, didn't know she was there until the other woman's shadow was cast over her own. Halten gave Inara a small smile.

"Hi, Inara," she said.

"Hi, Halten," Inara replied. "You look troubled. Is everything okay?" Halten hesitated, watching as Jayne caught the apple Kaylee had thrown at him. Kaylee laughed and the sound echoed through the cavernous ship.

"How long had you been here before it started to feel like home to you?" Halten asked. She caught a glimpse of Inara's faint smile.

"About thirty seconds," Inara admitted. "The moment I walked into this ship, it felt like coming home." She took a deep breath. "There's just something about Serenity that...makes me feel safe. Being here makes me feel loved, surrounded by this calmness, a kind of hope, you know?" Halten nodded.

"I thought it was just me," she replied quietly and Inara laughed.

"No, it's not just you," she said. "We're an odd bunch, but there's a sort of..." Inara trailed off, searching for a word.

"Charm?" Halten supplied, and Inara nodded.

"Yes," she agreed. "I would say there's a certain charm about is." Thinking only of Mal, Halten nodded her head.

"I would agree," she said softly.

Meanwhile in the cockpit, Mal was sitting with Wash, watching as he repeatedly tossed a plastic dinosaur into the air, catching it again and again, as if it were the most entertaining thing in the 'verse.

"Halten's really something, isn't she?" Wash began. The man was really a child sometimes, but when it came to feelings, he was far more intuitive than he let on.

"I'd say so," Mal replied carefully. Wash smirked.

"I'd say you're downplaying," he replied.

"What's that to mean?" the Captain asked quickly. Wash continued to smile knowingly and toss his dinosaur.

"Just that you've barely looked at Inara the past few days," Wash replied. Mal frowned.

"Really?" he asked, and Wash nodded.

"You're too busy having eyesex with Halten." Mal stared at him. Wash laughed at the shocked look on his face.

"What, was that supposed to be some big secret?" the pilot asked.

"Yes!" Mal replied vehemently. "No," he retracted. He sighed. "I don't know." Wash smiled, amused. Man, this was fun!

"Well, it ain't," he informed the captain. "Not even to Inara. Probably wouldn't be to Halten, either, except she's too busy engaging you to notice anything," he explained. "You like her." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah. I do," Mal admitted.

"What are you going to do when she's gone?" Wash asked. Mal was surprised by his internal reaction to that question. Of course, he knew that they would be taking Halten back, but to hear it said out loud, so casually and bluntly, made it so much more real. He frowned.

"I...don't know," he confessed. "I hadn't really thought about it."

"Well, you may want to start," Wash advised. "Cause you got about five days, and then she's gohe. And I have a feeling Alliance won't waste any time gettin' back to her." He smiled sadly. "Don't think I need to remind you that Kaylee won't be around to save her this time."

Halten laughed along with the rest of the crew as they listened to Book's latest story. Mal was laughing, too, but more at the sheer joy on Halten's face, and in response to the contagious sound of her laughter, than the story itself. Halten turned and caught Mal's eye, their gazes locking and both smiles becoming a little brighter.

Mal felt so alive in that moment. He felt fulfilled, like everything was in place, like everything was just as it should be. He had his ship; sturdy, reliable, loved, cared for; home. He had food, air, water; enough to survive, and when it came down to it, why did they need more than the basics? And he had his crew; a mite zany, kind of odd, but solid, loyal, happy. As he watched Elizabeth Halten, Mal realized he didn't feel like anyone was missing anymore. He had everything he needed right her; no more and no less.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Hey, Rachel," Kate said.

"Hey, Beckett," McCord replied.

"You get anything out there?" Beckett asked.

"Just another step," Rachel told her. "You know how it goes. But we're getting closer." KAte nodded, went back to her desk, and got to work.

They made more progress. They now knew who was responsible. It was just a matter of finding out why and of finding him. Kate took another crack at Messer, but he really had told them everything he knew. She called down to medical for an update on Rick, and was told that he was asleep. She was tempted to go down there and watch him sleep, but she knew that he time would be better spent up here, working. Only an hour and a half left.

They were at a bit of a lull when Kate got the call from medical. About 20 minutes before Kate's calculated time for Rick's symptoms to appear, he had gotten up to use the bathroom. On his way back to the bed, he had fallen. It seemed he had simply lost his balance out of nowhere. Kate's heart was pounding as she bolted downstairs. She found CAstle sitting in the chair when she arrived. again, she bypassed the desk and approached him. He looked up as she got close and managed a sort-of smile.

"Hey, baby," she said softly as she sat down in her chair.

"Hey." She thought he looked paler than he had when she'd last been down here.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I honestly don't know," he admitted. "They called you, I assume?"

"Yeah, they did," Kate confirmed.

"I don't know what happened," he said. "I just...I couldn't walk, out of nowhere." Kate nodded.

"Yeah, I know," she said.

"Now I have trouble moving a lot," he said. Kate nodded again.

"Yeah, that's what we expected."

"What did you say comes next?" he inquired.

"Light sensitivity and a really bad headache," she replied.

"Right."

"Hey," she whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to be right here," she promised. "You won't be alone, Rick."

"I appreciate it, sweetheart, but you have to work." She knew she wouldn't win this particular battle.

"Okay," she relented. "But when you start progressing, they're going to call me and I'll be here, okay?" Rick nodded and gave her another small half-smile.

"Okay. Love you." Kate's heart constricted as she met the scared blue eyes.

"I love you, too." And then she was gone, with a renewed determination-not that she needed it.

Kate was barely aware of how the next half-hour passed. But when her phone rang, she jumped and answered it quickly.

"Beckett."

"Agent Beckett, this is Nurse Carson in Medical." Kate sat up a little straighter.

"Carson. What happened?" she asked.

"He says his head is hurting. He's turned out the lights and is lying down with his hand over his eyes." Kate sighed.

"Okay. I'm on my way," she said shortly.

"Rachel," she began as she hung up.

"Yeah?"

"I'm pretty much bowing out. Rick's getting worse and I need to be with him. But keep me in the loop, okay?"

"Of course," Rachel said instantly. "Go." Kate hurried downstairs, arriving back at medical to find that Rick's lights were indeed off. she could see him lying in the bed with a shaky hand shading his eyes. She went to the glass and just watched for a moment.

"Rick?" she began softly. He turned his head to look at her and winced. She felt the knot in her stomach tighten.

"Hey," he whispered.

"Hey. How you doin'?"

"My head hurts."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault."

"I still wish there was something I could do," she said.

"I know you do," he replied. Kate sat down in the chair again, curling her legs under her to keep watch.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Firefly. But if someone wants to give it to me, that will be just fine. **

CHAPTER 6

The job went smoothly, as Mal had known it would. The evening of the day of the job, they were headed toward Beaumonde to deliver the cargo. The atmosphere on Serenity was relaxed and calm; they'd succeeded without a hitch, and there were no forseeable problems awaiting them.

On the other hand, Inara wasn't so happy. She watched from her upstairs perch as Mal and Halten interacted. Halten laughed at something that the Captain had said and Inara saw Mal smile at her. He said something, grinning cheekily, and Halten shoved him playfully.

Inara _liked_ Halten, she really did. That was the problem. She didn't want to like the woman who was stealing Mal's attentions. That attention was supposed to be hers. Mal had, not too long ago, looked at her the way he was now looking at Halten. Once, she had been the object of his flirtatiousness, the one he'd stared at during dinner. Now, he barely glanced at her. It didn't help that Halten was absolutely stunning either, with her gorgeous wavy hair, and her striking, sparkling eyes. Besides, Halten was so much more like Mal. She was athletic, adventurous, and strong. She was independent and fierce. Inara was nothing compared to Halten. A whore. That's how Mal thought of her. He had made that quite clear, more than once. Her position cast a dark, looming shadow over her where Mal was concerned. Halten had gained the one thing from the Captain that Inara never could; respect. And that, she decided, was what she envied Halten the most.

"You're so mean!" Halten said. Mal grinned.

"Mean?" he repeated. Halten nodded.

"Yes. Mean," she confirmed. They looked at each other for a minute. Then, Mal couldn't help it; he laughed. _'How did this woman do this to him?'_ Even with Inara, he'd never been so openly happy. He usually managed to hold on to that stone-faced exterior. But not with Halten. She was different. For some reason, she always managed to bring out a different side of him. When he thought about it, he realized that Halten was extracting the pre-Alliance Malcolm Reynolds; the young, carefree, independent, light, hopeful, funny, charming kid he had once been. He had missed that part of himself, but hadn't quite realized how much until Halten had brought a sliver of it back. '_It's like heroin,'_ he mused. _'The kind of thing you'll devote the rest of your like to getting more of__** that**__.' _Then he thought about it for a second. _'Heroin's kind of a dark comparison,' _he thought. '_Let's go with chocolate.' _

"So, looks like about ten or eleven days now, till we get you back to Haven," Mal said as their laughter died down. Halten nodded, not missing the odd combination of pride and disappointment in his voice.

"You know," she began. "I'm really enjoying it here."

"Are you?" he sounded genuinely hopeful. Halten smiled, looking around at Serenity.

"Yeah, I am," she confirmed. "It's nice here." Mal nodded his head in agreement.

"It is," he said. "If it weren't for running from Alliance all the time, I'd say it's a nice life."

"Oh, I don't know," Halten countered. "The rebellion's a big part of it. Who knows, really, but don't you think if you took Alliance out of the equation, it would take away the purpose? The foundation, even? I mean, this crew you've got, they wouldn't need to be here it it weren't for Alliance." Mal studied her.

"Hmm," he said. "You know, Halten, I think you really may have a point there." He paused. "You know what else wouldn't have happened if not for Alliance?" he asked.

"What?"

"I never would've met you." Halten met his eyes. _'God, those__ eyes__!'_

"Would that have been a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked.

"Bad thing," Mal replied immediately, again surprising himself with his own ability to be so open with her. She smiled.

"I-" she began, but was cut off by Inara approaching them. They both looked up.

"Mal, can I talk to you?" she asked, determinedly not looking at Halten.

"Sure," Mal replied, standing up. Both women noticed the ease and grace with which he moved. He turned and smiled at Halten.

"Catch up with you later?" he asked. She nodded.

"Shiny." He couldn't help but grin at her use of the word. after one last smile in Halten's direction, he turned and followed Inara.

She ushered him into her shuttle and shut the door. After a moment to collect her thoughts, she whirled to face him.

"What exactly is it that you think you're doing, Mal?" she demanded.

"about what?" he asked.

"Halten!" Inara exclaimed.

"What about her?" Inara sighed angrily.

"You're engaging her! She's leaving, and yet you're acting like you've known her your whole life and intend to see her every day from now until the day you die! You're stringing her along."

"So what are you doing, Inara?" he asked. "Taking up for her? Being the hero? What?"

"Yes," Inara replied. Mal shook his head, his blue eyes darkening with anger.

"Well, she doesn't need anyone lookin' after her, especially not you," Mal said, Inara narrowed her eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked. He rolled his eyes.

"Oh, don't," he said. "You know exactly what I mean!" Mal exclaimed. Inara swallowed hard.

"Look, Mal, what is it about her?" She asked. "What makes her so important to you?"

"Important to me?" Mal repeated.

"Yes!"

"What makes you think she is?" he asked. Inara scoffed.

"Oh, come on, Mal! I've seen you with her. She has every bit of you attention, any time she wants it. You laugh with her, you joke around with her, you tease her and smile with her. She obviously means something to you. More than any of the rest of us do."

"Oh!" Mal said. "That's what this is about; you're jealous."

"I am not!" Inara lied.

"You are!" Mal insisted. "You think I should be enamored by you, and I'm not."

"You used to be," Inara said quietly.

"Look, Inara, don't you get that you and I could never work? That I could never bring myself to be with you?" he said.

"What are you going to do about Halten, Mal?" Inara asked.

"None of your Gorram business," he snapped. "Don't recall anything in our agreement requires me to tell you that. You rent from me, Inara. You're not a part of my crew. It ain't changed, nor will it." With that, he left, still fuming.

While Mal was talking to Inara, Halten was growing restless. She went and changed clothes, exiting the engine room wearing a lavender tank-top and black leggings, her long dark hair pulled back into a French braid. She went over and stretched to start her work-out, and then went straight for the punching bag. She threw well-aimed, high-impact punches at the bag, turning and tossing perfectly placed side-kicks, her sneaker-clad foot making contact with the solid surface. Her movements were both fast and graceful, her long limbs flying and whirling, her smooth muscles stretching and tensing, her braid flicking back and forth as she moved.

Shepherd Book watched Halten from a distance as she worked out, observing the young woman through thoughtful dark eyes. She had so much pent-up emotion. He could see her mind working just as hard and fast as her lean, muscular body was. She was a strong, smart girl. but she was also damaged. She hid it well, but it was there. He thought back to the comment River had made about Halten.

'_She just needs a family,'_ she had said. If there was anything Book knew about River Tam, it was that her instincts were generally right. No matter what the Alliance had done to her brain, the girl was still incredibly bright, and she understood people. She was highly insightful, and her emotions were keen. She was intelligent. Her intellectual and emotional opinion about Halten said a lot to Book. He watched Halten fighting not only her punching bag, but also some sort of internal struggle. He saw her frustration, anger, fear, and worry work itself into her powerful punches and graceful, whirling kicks. He stood there, watching Halten fight her demons.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't. Don't even ask.**

**A/N: Thank you thank you thank you for reading and reviewing. Also, this will be my last update for a little bit, since I have Thanksgiving break and it's gonna get a little busy. To my American readers, Happy Thanksgiving! **

**Xx-Cassie**

CHAPTER 7

Mal was desperate not to show Halten his anger. He exited Inara's shuttle to find Halten just finishing her workout. She looked so...well, there really wasn't a lady-like word he could use to describe it. She was coated in a thin layer of sweat, which he found oddly attractive, coupled with her labored breathing and clingy clothes, not to mention the simple fact that she was just demonstrating mad fighting skills. She looked up and tossed him a smile.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," he replied. He ventured toward the kitchen and she followed. He tossed her a bottle of water, which she caught swiftly, her reflexes quick.

"Thanks," she said.

"Sure," he replied. He leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms over his broad chest. She mirrored his movements across from him.

"Everything okay with Inara?" Halten asked. "She seemed kind of upset." Mal nodded.

"Yeah, she's just...I don't know. She'll be fine." Halten studied him. He was shutting down that particular subject, so she decided to change the subject, but e beat her to it.

"Good workout?" he asked. Halten nodded.

"Yeah, it was," she confirmed.

"You need somebody to hold that punching bag next time?" he inquired. She raised her eyebrows.

"What I really need," she began, a teasing smile playing over her face, "is someone to spar with."

Kaylee and Halten were lying in their respective hammocks that night, in the still darkness of the engine room, the quiet, soothing whirl and hum of Serenity's engine filling the silence.

"Halten?" Kaylee asked.

"Hmm?"

"Do you like it here?" the mechanic asked. Halten found herself smiling, even though she knew Kaylee couldn't see it.

"I love it here," she confessed softly.

"You should stay," Kaylee replied.

"I would love to stay, Kaylee, but you know that's not my decision," Halten told her.

"But Capt'n would let you stay!" Kaylee said. Halten could hear the quiet rustling as Kaylee shifted in her hammock, could picture Kaylee turning her wide, eager, bright eyes on her companion, her expression innocently hopeful. "He would let you," she insisted.

"Oh, Kaylee, I don't know that he would," Halten replied skeptically. To her surprise, Kaylee laughed.

"What?" Halten asked.

"Well, he's crazy 'bout you," Kaylee said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the 'verse.

"What?"

"You didn't know?"

"no, I didn't," Halten replied.

"Well, you'd be the only one," Kaylee informed her. "Everybody can see how the Capt'n is with you." Now Kaylee really had her attention.

"What do you mean, '_how he is with me'_?" she asked.

"Well, just that he can't keep his eyes off you," Kaylee said. "And he's all nice to you, and all shiny and smiley." Halten could hear the smile in Kaylee's voice.

"Really?" she asked.

"Surely," Kaylee confirmed. "It ain't hard to see, Halten. Besides, everybody likes you, even River. We'd all love to have you stay." Halten would've heard the sincerity in Kaylee's voice, but she was too busy absorbing this new information. Could Kaylee be right? Was it possible that maybe Mal **was** attracted to her, and that, in her preoccupation with being attracted to **him**, she'd somehow missed it? And, of course, there was also the other issue Kaylee brought to the table, the one Halten had hardly dared to think about for fear of being deeply disappointed. But once Kaylee brought it up, all the thoughts Halten had been pushing to the back of her mind came rushing forward at top speed. she couldn't pretend she hadn't imagined a scenario in which she stayed on Serenity, and became a permanent member of Mal's crew. She really did love it here, and she really didn't want to leave. Serenity felt like home. This crew felt like family. She had been so happy, so relieved, when Mal had said that this job they'd gotten would set them back a few days. She was dreading returning to Haven. To hear Kaylee toss out the idea of staying, so casually, made Halten's heart thrum wildly in her chest. She really, really would love nothing more than to stay here.

"Halten?" Kaylees's voice extracted Halten from her intricate web of thoughts.

"Yeah?" she replied.

"If you had the chance, would you stay?"

"Of course," Halten responded instantly. Kaylee nodded, seemingly satisfied with that.

"I'm going to sleep," Kaylee said. "Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," Halten confirmed.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry I was gone so long! I had Thanksgiving and then my 15****th**** Birthday Celebration with my friends and family, so it was a busy week. But here I am, back, with a new chapter! Hope y'all are still with me!**

**Xx-Cassie**

**Disclaimer: Nope. I don't own Firefly. **

CHAPTER 8

"Hi, Capt'n!" Kaylee chirped brightly, entering the kitchen. She knew that Halten was hanging out with Wash in the cockpit, which gave her time to do what needed to be done. Mal jumped, looking up from what he was doing.

"Kaylee. You scared me." She smiled, sitting down in the chair opposite him.

"Sorry. You got a minute?" she asked.

"Yeah, why?" he replied.

"It's about Halten." Mal froze. What was he in for this time?

"Okay," he said slowly. "What about her?"

"Well, it's just she ain't got no one to go home to, and we'd just be throwin' her out there. Now, I know she can fight for herself and all, but..."

"Just spit it out, Kaylee."

"You heard what River said about her needin' a family. Well, we're a family here, ain't we?"

"Where are you headin' with this?" Mal asked, even though he knew perfectly well where she was headed.

"I just was thinkin', why can't she just stay here?" Kaylee finally asked. "I mean, she's already got a place to sleep, everybody likes her, and she's a great fighter, she could help out on jobs," the young mechanic fired off quickly, stopping only when Mal held up his hand to her.

"Listen, Kaylee," he said. "ultimately, it ain't my choice. Halten's been on her own a long time. There's no way to tell whether she'd even want to be stayin'," he explained.

"well, say she did want to," Kaylee pressed. "I'm askin' what you'd say." Mal hesitated. Really, this was an easy way out. If he just told Halten that _Kaylee _was the one who wanted her to stay, no one would ever need to know how much he desperately wanted her to. But he also didn't want a rift between two members of his crew, and Inara was still angry. She'd barely left her shuttle in the two days since their argument, and she hadn't spoken to Mal at all. But he really did want Halten to stay. Why did it have to be so hard?

"Okay, Kaylee," Mal began, "I think that Halten is a great girl, and I agree that she may be helpful on jobs."

"And you like her," Kaylee interjected. Mal stared at her. Was he really that transparent?

"You do," she insisted.

"I-yes. I do," Mal confessed. Kaylee smiled gleefully, looking far too pleased with herself.

"Well, I think that's just shiny, Capt'n," she announced. "So let her stay!" Mal sighed. Kaylee was a really weet girl, and incredible when it came to engines. But she could also be incredibly naïve at times.

"I'm glad you think so, Kaylee, but it really isn't that simple."

"Sure it is," Kaylee contradicted. "Since she likes you, too." They heard footsteps just then and turned to see Wash and Halten approaching them.

"Hey, guys," said Wash.

"Hey," Mal and Kaylee chorused.

"Landing on Beaumonde first thing in the morning," Wash told them. Mal nodded.

"Shiny," he said, almost absentmindedly. inside, all he could think about was Halten, and what it would be like to have her as a permanent fixture in his life.

It was after two a.m. when Mal finally gave up on sleep and crawled out of bed. His sock-clad feet shuffled over the metal floor, the hem of his navy blue pajama pants brushing the ground. He grabbed a plain white tee-shirt and slipped it on, the worn cotton making contact with smooth, muscle-lined skin. He grabbed two blankets and left his room, heading for the cockpit. He'd found that it helped to go there on nights like this, when he couldn't sleep. The sight of the stars glittering in the vast black expanse was somehow calming. It helped him clear his mind, usually enough so that he could go back to bed and get at least a couple of hours of sleep.

Tonight, however, he found not quiet solitude waiting for him, but Elizabeth Halten, sitting quietly in one of the chairs, her knees drawn up to her chest, staring out at the inky blackness. She looked up at the sound of footsteps and blinked in surprise.

"Mal," she said quietly. "I...I just was...thinking," she explained unnecessarily. He nodded.

"Couldn't sleep?" he murmured softly. She shook her head ruefully.

"No. You either, huh?"

"Not a bit." He settled into the chair next to hers, offering her one of the gray fleece blankets he'd grabbed. She took it from him with a small smile, their fingertips brushing lightly as the soft fabric exchanged hands.

"Thanks," she said, spreading the blanket out over her, drawing it up close to her slim figure. He spread his own blanket out, too.

"How long you been here?" he asked. Halten shrugged.

"I don't know...an hour or so?" she guessed.

'It's nice," he commented. "Being in here, I mean. Clears your head." Halten nodded in response.

"Yeah. I just feel so small," she said, looking out at the sky, watching as the stars zoomed quickly past them, but not so fast that Mal and Halten didn't have time to see them. "it's like I'm realizing that the world, the 'verse...it's all just so much bigger than I am, you know?" Mal nodded, glancing over at her shadowy figure. In the half-light, her features were softened, the sharpness missing, replaced by smooth, soft lines. The shadows danced on her skin, the smooth surface their stage. Mal could make out the outline, blurry and smudged, of her dark curls. He could see the graceful curvature of her arms and shoulders, the tones muscles still visible under the ivory skin. He watched, entranced, as she untucked her long, lean legs. She stretched them out, just for a moment, the arches of her feet mimicking the movements of a startled cat, her toes pointed, before folding them back under her, Indian style.

"You know," he said, amazed that he was able to form words at all, "feeling small isn't always a bad thing." She looked at him inquisitively.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Just that we all need that, time to time. That knowin' we're small, knowin' we're not all-powerful. Knowin' we can't make it all on our own." They fell quiet once again, Halten mulling over his words, Mal simply watching her.

"Funny," she said. "But I was just wondering if maybe, for the first time in a long time, I'm starting to realize the truth in that." Their eyes met, their intense gazes locked.

"You're pretty remarkable, you know that?" he asked after a moment, his voice not only quieter, but softer, more gentle. She felt her heart flutter in her chest. '_Remarkable?'_ she wondered. That was high praise coming from anyone, but especially from Mal. He was feeling daring. The nighttime, the darkness, the shadows, her close proximity, all of that was affecting her deeply. He was no longer thinking about Inara, or about the rift it would create if Halten stayed on Serenity. All he could think about was Halten, and her long legs, and her ruby lips and her thick hair and her teasing smile and her enchanting eyes, still holding his darkening gaze. But he was still holding onto his sense of intelligence and caution, or at least a portion of it. He didn't do what he wanted to do, but instead, he reached across the small gap between them, and took her hand in his own. Her hand was warm, the skin soft in places, callused in others, reflecting her tumultuous life story. Up and down, in and out, never certain of how much time was left. He felt a pang of regret that he hadn't found her sooner, hadn't been able to stand with her, to be by her side, to fight a battle that would've been not hers, but _theirs_. Her slender fingers closed around his hand, and their gazes never wavered. It felt so _right_. So easy, so simple, so...them.

"Thank you," she murmured. He felt a small smile flicker across his face.

'Always."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank you for reading, I hope you like this chapter! Xx-Cassie**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. Halten, on the other hand, is all mine. **

"Well, isn't this interesting?" Wash whispered dryly. He, Zoe, Jayne, Inara, Simon, River, Book, and Kaylee were gathered in the cockpit. Wash had found it, but had wasted no time in gathering the rest of the crew to see the spectacle in front of them. Now, they were all standing there, simply staring at this phenomenon.

"Interesting?" Zoe parroted. "Baby, that doesn't even begin to cover it."

"It's..." even Kaylee struggled for words.

"It's surprising," Simon said.

"It's...something I'd get yelled at for saying," Jayne grunted.

"It's respectful," Book threw in.

"It's confirming," Inara whispered.

"It's sweet," River said with an air of finality, before turning and walking away, Inara on her heels.

"I agree," Kaylee said. "It's cute."

Sitting in the chairs were Mal and Halten, each curled up, bodies angled toward each other, their hands clasped together tightly, heads resting on their respective chairs.

"Well, much as I hate to," Wash began, "We have to wake them up. We're scheduled for landing in just under two hours."

"I'll do it," Zoe said. She moved forward and knelt between the two.

"Hey, guys," she said, now raising her voice to her normal volume. "Mal. Halten. Wake up, guys." A few seconds later, Halten began to stir. Her fingers tightened around Mal's hand as he, too, began to stir. They both began to open their eyes, blue meeting green, just as when they had fallen asleep. The moment was broken by Zoe's voice.

"Morning," she said. Both Mal and Halten turned their heads to look at her, quickly taking in the rest of the crew standing behind her, and then eyes darting to their clasped hands. Immediately, they let go, cheeks reddening. Mal cleared his throat, and Halten bowed her head, avoiding looking at anyone.

"Thought we might get headed toward our landing," Wash said. There was a bit of amusement in the pilot's voice. "That alright with you, Captain?" Mal nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "Shiny." He snatched up his blanket and left quickly, Halten on his heels.

After they had changed into normal clothes, they ended up in the kitchen. Mal handed Halten a bagel.

"Thanks," she muttered.

"Sure." They were quiet for a moment.

"Well, that was..." Halten said, and then trailed off, unsure of what word could possibly express her feelings toward the situation.

"I know," Mal agreed.

"Sleep okay?" Halten asked. Mal grinned.

"Actually, I slept very well. You?" Halten couldn't help but smile.

"Same here," she admitted.

"You know, you in pajamas is kind of cute," he confessed.

"Really?" she asked. "You don't look too bad in them yourself." They looked at each other for a few moments. Then, suddenly, they both burst into laughter.

"Wow," Mal said when they had finally stopped laughing. "The more I think on it, the more ridiculous it seems." Halten nodded.

"Yeah," she agreed.

"So," he began, "You want to join us on the job today?" Halten stared at him, surprised.

"Really?" she asked.

"Sure," Mal shrugged. He wasn't even entirely sure what had made him ask, but...why not?

"Okay," Halten said. "I guess so." Mal nodded.

"Good," he said. "I'm going to go check on our timing." He left and, not even a minute later, Shepherd Book wandered in.

"Hi, Book," Halten said.

"Hello, Halten," he replied. He got a bottle of water, opened it, and took a drink, studying her.

"So, couldn't sleep last night?" he asked. There was a knowing sort of twinkle in his eyes that made her distinctly uncomfortable.

"No," she replied.

"Mal either?" Book surmised.

"Apparently," Halten muttered. Thankfully, she was rescued from further conversation by the arrival of Kaylee, who smiled sweetly at Halten.

"Morning," she said.

"Morning, Kaylee," Halten replied.

"You and Capt'n were awful cute this mornin'," Kaylee said, smiling in a highly pleased manner. Halten felt herself flush a little around the neck. She didn't say anything; just didn't have the words. They were never going to live this down, of that she was sure.

About an hour later, they landed on Beaumode. Mal, Zoe, Jayne, and Halten were taking the cargo to the delivery point, only about half a mile from where they had landed. There, they would collect profit, get back on Serenity, and would get back in the air. Nothing to it. Halten was still a little unsure as to why Mal had asked her to come with them, but it was probably better than trying to field questions back on Serenity.

Just their luck, it was raining. The sky hung low above them as the four of them left Serenity with the cargo, promising to return within a couple of hours. Upon reaching the drop-off point, they found it deserted. Complaining about punctuality, they waited. It wasn't long until the two buyers arrived within twenty minutes or so.

"Captain Malcolm Reynolds," Mal announced, stepping forward with an extended hand. But they didn't waste time with pleasantries.

Neither Mal, Zoe, or Jayne recognized the movement, but Halten did. It was barely noticeable, but it was enough.

"MAL!" she cried, leaping forward just as the gun went off, pushing the Captain out of the way as Jayne and Zoe immediately began firing. Their aim was exact; both men dropped, instantly dead. Halten rolled off of Mal, thinking for just an instant that maybe-_maybe_- they had escaped harm. But then the wind blew. A gust hit her, horror dawning on her as she felt the cold air collide with the warm, sticky, wet blood that had gotten on her when she had tackled the Captain. Almost at the same time, she saw him; the look of pain and shock in his bright blue eyes, the crimson blossom blooming on his chest, the reflective blood beginning to pool there. In that instant, Halten's whole being flooded with fear...


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I know…that was mean of me last chapter. This one will make you wanna kill me, too. Please don't. **

**Disclaimer: Nope. I own Halten, nothing else. **

She vaguely heard Zoe say something to Jayne, but she wasn't really listening.

"Halten," Mal said. "Run, go. Don't let them catch you." Halten felt her heart clench.

"Shhh," she said. "Shhh. It's okay, Mal. I'm not going anywhere, okay? Zoe and Jayne killed them, it's okay."

"You're sure?" he asked. Halten slipped her jacket off, folded it up, and pressed it against the wound. He gasped.

"I know," she murmured. She was pretty sure Zoe and Jayne had gone to go get Simon and the terrain vehicle. It wouldn't take them long, but Halten just hoped it wouldn't take too long anyway.

"Hang on for me, okay?" she whispered. "You're going to be fine. Simon'll patch you up in no time. Just hang on, alright?" He nodded.

"Inara doesn't like you," he said. "She does, but she says you're stealing me, or something. She's jealous." Halten stared at him,

"What?"

"But it's okay," he continued. "She ain't crew." Halten just brushed his hair back from his face.

"Shhh," she murmured, not bothering to try and hide the tears that were streaming down her face, mingling with the rain that had soaked them both. "Shhh, Mal. Don't, okay? We can talk all you want later, I promise. Just breathe right now, okay?" He nodded.

"Okay," he said. "Halten?"

"Yeah?"

"Remind me to ask you somethin' later," he said.

"Okay."

Moments later, Jayne, Simon, and Zoe returned. Together, the four of them loaded the Captain onto the vehicle. Zoe and Jayne hopped into the front, while Simon and Halten climbed into the back with Mal.

"This yours?" Simon asked Halten, gently peeling the jacket back from the wound. Halten nodded, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that she would never be able to make herself wear it again, even if the blood came out.

"Simon!" she exclaimed.

"What?"

"He's unconscious," she said. Simon didn't glance up.

'I know," he replied. "Nothing I can do about that, it'll be fine." Halten bit her lip, unable to keep herself from watching as Simon's practiced hands flew around. The bitter wind lashed at them as they sped back toward Serenity. The icy rain bit into Halten's skin. Her senses were oddly heightened; everything was too loud, too bright, too sharp, too clear. It all felt too real, yet also not real enough. Nothing made sense to her, her mind was too consumed. She was holding his hand tightly in her own, recalling with unrealistic clarity every moment she'd ever spent with Mal over the last two weeks.

It was odd, really, how quickly she had fallen for him. It had only taken her a few days to fall, arguably, hard for the handsome Captain. She didn't want to lose him, not now. Not ever. It seemed to take far too long to get back to Serenity, When, finally, they did, they found the rest of the crew waiting for them, anxious and scared. When they saw Mal, Halten, and Simon, all three of them covered in blood, they all got this stricken expression on their faces. Halten didn't even notice, really. All she could focus on was Mal, and how pale his face was, how loose his grip on her hand had become. Jayne helped Simon move the Captain to the infirmary. In the sudden movement, Mal's hand tightened around Halten's. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, trying not to fall apart. Thankfully, Simon didn't even try to make Halten leave.

"Just don't get in my way, okay?" he said. Halten nodded, moving closer to Mal's head. Suddenly, her physical boundaries didn't seem to matter anymore. She just needed to be close to him, to know that he would be alright. She gently brushed her hand over Mal's forehead, combing her fingers through his dark hair. Normally, Halten was quite shy with her emotions around people other than whomever she was expressing emotion for. Now, however, it didn't matter to her. She just didn't care.

"Can he hear me?" she asked Simon.

"Probably," he answered without looking up. Halten leaned her head down close to Mal's, her hands still running comfortingly through his hair, one hand resting on his cheek, She positioned her mouth close to his ear, the heat from his skin colliding with hers.

"Hey, Mal," she whispered. "Stay with me, okay? I know you can do this, Mal, you just have to hang on, alright? Please stay with me." She was completely unaware of anything except for Mal. "Simon's taking care of you, okay? You're going to be fine, you just need to hold on for me."

She had no measure of how long they stayed that way; Simon's practiced hands working on the Captain, Mal's shallow breathing filling the room, Halten whispering soft words of comfort in his ear, her hands soothing both him and herself.

The rest of the crew watched from outside, everyone terrified. They couldn't lose Mal. He was their _Captain_. He held them together. He _was_ Serenity. Without him, they had nothing. No job, no home, no family.

Then came the moment when Simon stepped back. He met Halten's eyes, and by the look he gave her, she knew. She _knew_, just half an instant before the sound that had been holding them together stopped. The sound of shallow, raspy breath escaping Mal's mouth fell silent, and Halten laid her hand on his broad, bloody chest, her whole being seeming to plunge into darkness as she realized that that steady, strong beat had not only slowed, but had stopped altogether. The most horrifying thought dawned on her; Captain Malcolm Reynolds was dead.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Firefly…unfortunately.**

**Author's Note: I know that was really mean, wasn't it? Don't give up, though! Read on! Xx-Cassie**

Someone was talking to her, but Halten just wanted them to go away. She burrowed deeper into her pillow, wishing she could just force all conscious thought away. But she couldn't. It occurred to her then that her pillow was oddly comfortable. And strangely warm. And...well, it didn't really feel like a pillow at all. Now curious despite her horror at the thought that Mal was dead, she focused on the words the voice was saying. For some reason, only one of her senses seemed to be able to work at a time.

_'The voice, Halten, focus on the words,' _she reminded herself.

"Shhh, Halten," it said. "Shhh, it's okay. It's okay," the voice soothed softly. "You're okay. You're going to be fine, Halten, it's okay." It was then that she was able to put her two observations together. Her 'pillow' was a person; whomever was soothing her. She was curled up in someone's arms, her head buried in their chest. She could feel their arms around her-strong arms-and one of their hands running soothingly up and down her back, while the other cradled her head to them. Her mind still wasn't functioning properly; her thoughts were slow and sluggish. The next of her senses to come to life was that of smell. And man, did this person smell amazing! Like cloves and vanilla, mingling with the sweet, soft, indescribable scent of home. She couldn't help but bury herself deeper into their embrace, tears filling her hazel eyes as she thought of Mal. How had such a horrible thing happened? The voice was talking to her again.

"Shhh, Halten, it's okay," it assured her. "You're alright, it's okay. Shhh, don't cry, baby," it murmured quietly. Wait. There was something oddly-no, _achingly_, familiar about that voice. Something...close, something she recognized. But her head wouldn't process it, not enough. She couldn't place it. She felt the person press a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

"Shhh, you're okay, Halten," the voice repeated. "I've got you, okay? I've got you. Everything is going to be fine." She felt emotionally drained, a fact which she attributed to Mal's death. Just thinking about it caused tears to flood her eyes again.

"Halten," the voice sighed. "Shhh, shhh, it's okay. Don't cry, baby, it's okay. I've got you." The person drew her in even closer, their arms encircling her. Their left hand covered one of hers and that was the moment when everything connected for her. Suddenly, she pulled back slightly, her breath catching. She couldn't think, couldn't even begin to comprehend this. But it made sense. everything fit, except for that one impossible fact that couldn't be overlooked.

The fact was that the person holding her in their arms, wrapped up in a gray fleece blanket in one of the chairs in Serenity's cockpit, was Malcolm Reynolds.

"Mal?" she gasped. He smiled slightly.

"Hey," he breathed, gently running his hand along her arm. she stared at him for a few seconds, her breathing shallow. "Hey," he repeated, moving his head to look her in the eye. "Halten," he said. "Halten, look at me. I need you to breathe, okay? Halten, listen. Take a deep breath." His words were slow and measured, lacking the usual twang in his voice. "Breathe for me, In and out." He took one of her hands and placed it on his own chest. "Breathe with me, okay?" he instructed slowly. "In and out. Nice and slow, alright? Just like that, breathe with me. Just like that. Good girl." He gave her a small, encouraging smile. "Good girl," he repeated. He brought a hand up to cradle her cheek. "Halten," he whispered. "Are you okay?" She stared at him, tears welling up in her eyes despite herself. She couldn't find words, couldn't even begin to process this.

"Halten, baby, I need you to talk to me," he urged quietly. "Say something."

"You...you were dead," she whispered. Mal shook his head, lightly brushing his thumb over her cheek.

"No. Halten, I'm right here," he said. She blinked and tears fell from her eyes, trailing down her cheeks. He couldn't help it; he wrapped her up in his arms again, cradling her to his chest. She buried herself in his embrace, breathing in that sweet scent, feeling that strong, muscular body surrounding her. It was finally dawning on her that it had all been a dream. The last thing that had actually happened was that she and Mal had fallen asleep holding hands. Everything else had been a product of her overactive imagination. It was just a dream. Yes, a highly realistic dream. Yes, a very vivid dream. But a dream nonetheless.

When Halten had begun to cry in her sleep and call out for him, Mal had barely had to think about it. Her cries were heartbreaking, and he reacted instinctively. He had gathered her up in his arms, wrapping her in the gray blanket he'd handed her. Halten had curled into him, her long, lean body folding into a tiny ball. she was surprisingly light, he thought as he settled her into his arms. He held her close, rocking back and forth. Mal did the only thing he could think to do; held her, ran his hands along her back comfortingly, cradled her head against him, whispered words of comfort. He rode the nightmare out with her, never seeing or contemplating any other options. He couldn't even try to pretend that he didn't have strong feelings for Halten; he did. He really liked her, and he admired her bravery, strength, and character. And, he could no longer even imagine his life without her.

Now, he held her as she cried, his heart breaking for her. Normally, he was a tough guy, reluctant to show tenderness. But, then again, since when did Halten affect him in any kind of normal way?

"Shhh," he soothed. "Shhh, Halten, you're okay. It's okay. We're both fine," he murmured. "Everything's alright,"

"God, Mal," she whispered. "It felt so real. Everything was so real." He just stroked her hair, pressing a soft kiss to her head.

"I know," he said. "I know, Halten. It's alright now, baby, you're okay." She re-adjusted herself in his arms, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he inquired quietly.

"It was the job," Halten replied. "You got shot during the exchange. God, Mal, it was horrible. We brought you back here, and Simon tried to fix it, but he couldn't. You died, right there in front of me." He gently ran a comforting hand across her shoulders, his hand curving around her, drawing her closer.

"You know it's okay now, right?" he asked softly, combing through her hair with his fingers. She nodded slightly, still seeming unsure of herself.

"Halten, look at me," he said. She raised her head and their eyes met. "It was just a dream," he said. He found himself letting go, instead of hiding behind the walls he had built up since Alliance took over. He was becoming the man that he had once been, a long time ago. He was letting himself feel again, and allowing himself to express emotion to her. "Halten, listen to me," he implored. "It's going to be fine, I promise. I know it was scary, because, to be honest, it scared me, too. But it's all over now, okay? It was just a bed dream." Halten nodded and Mal pressed a kiss to her forehead. She settled back against him, feeling unbelievably drained. Mal sighed, noticing for the first time how perfectly she fit into him.

"If we don't go to bed, the crew will find us in here," Mal mumbled.

"That happened in my dream," Halten replied and Mal chuckled softly. Halten slid effortlessly off of him, and Mal stood, reaching for her hand as they left the cockpit. Out in the main room, Mal paused, his heart hammering in his chest.

'If you want to, you're welcome to come and sleep with me," he offered, determineldly pushing away that voice in his head that was telling him to shut up. "Only if you want to, of course," he added quickly.

"Are you sure?" Halten asked. She really really wanted to, but needed to know he was certain. He lightly squeezed her hand.

"I'm positive," he affirmed. Halten nodded.

"Okay," she agreed. He gave her a small smile and led her to his bedroom. When they reached the bed, she immediately went for the side that clearly hadn't been slept in. He crawled in on his own side, his muscular body slipping between the sheets. He extended his arm, inviting Halten to come closer. She did, sliding close to him. He turned slightly onto his side to wrap his arms around her slender frame as she laid her head on his chest, her silky locks making contact with his neck.

"You okay now?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," she replied, her voice barely a whisper. he gently palmed the back of her head as he placed a soft kiss to her temple.

"Try to get some sleep,okay?" he said. She nodded slightly.

'You'll be here when I wake up, right?" she asked, her voice already laced with sleep.

"Of course," he murmured in reply. Moments later, Elizabeth Halten was asleep in his arms, and Captain Malcolm Reynolds was struggling to think of anywhere else he would rather be.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own Firefly, I wish that I did. **

**Author's Note: That was mean, wasn't it? **** Thanks for reading! Xx-Cassie**

Inara didn't know what to do. She was hurt, lost, confused, angry. She really just didn't know what she was supposed to do. She had only wanted to get some water. But, when she'd passed the cockpit, she had stopped. Someone was crying. When Inara peeked into the room, her heart dropped. Mal was sitting in one of the chairs, cradling a sobbing Halten in his arms, murmuring to and comforting her. It was an extremely intimate scene, and Inara didn't know what to do. So, she hung back, listening as Mal comforted Halten. After a while, though, she just couldn't do it anymore. She turned and fled back to her shuttle.

When the rest of the crew wandered into the kitchen the next morning, it was to find Mal and Halten sitting at the table, talking quietly and eating breakfast. They both looked up as Wash and Zoe entered.

"Morning, Zoe," Mal said. "Wash."

"Morning, sir," Zoe replied. She and Wash joined the other two at the table. This time of day was Mal's favorite time on Serenity; when everyone was just beginning to wake up, but it was still relatively quiet. The ship was just starting to buzz with a quiet sort of life, and the Captain could make out the sounds of his crew as they began to wake and rise from their beds; clanking as Kaylee climbed up her metal ladder, Jayne's heavy footfalls on the stairs, Simon's door closing, River laughing. Within moments, most of the crew had gathered in the kitchen, laughing, talking, and eating breakfast.

"Landing in an hour," Wash announced. Halten met Mal's eyes and he could see what she was thinking. He inclined his head toward a small room off to the side, and she followed him there.

"You alright?" Mal asked.

"Yeah, just...nervous," Halten replied. Mal nodded slightly.

"It's going to be okay, Halten," he said softly.

"You can't know that," she countered. Mal took a step toward her, trailing his hand down her arm, hooking his fingers with hers, willing her to look at him. She did, raising her head and meeting his gaze.

"You're right," he agreed. "I can't. But I can tell you that I've done business with these guys before, and I don't foresee problems." He paused, squeezing her hand lightly. "Would you feel better if you came with us?" he asked.

"Would you mind?" she answered.

"Not at all," Mal assured her.

"Okay, " she agreed. Mal nodded. He leaned in and pressed a quick, gentle kiss to her cheek, then ushered her back toward the kitchen, his hand gently brushing her lower back.

Halten found herself feeling nervous anyway as they left the ship to perform the exchange. She prayed it would go smoothly, but she couldn't help but worry. Turned out, there really wasn't anything to worry about. The exchange went just as well as Mal had predicted it would. On the way back to Serenity, the Captain gently squeezed Halten's hand.

"See?" he said quietly. "I told you everything would be fine." Halten nodded.

"Yeah," she agreed. "You did."

It was past lunchtime when Mal finally realized that Inara was missing from the group. Excusing himself from the others, he went to her shuttle. Cautiously, he went inside, knocking on the doorframe.

"Come in." Mal took a few more steps, then froze. All of Inara's possessions were packed away. Her rich velvet tapestries and rugs were gone, along with her thin, sheer shawls and glittering jewels. Her shuttle still smelled of sweet, smoky incense, but there was none in sight. Her bed was still standing, but it looked bare, adorned only with sheets and a fleece blanket as opposed to her usual thick, lush comforter and luxuriously soft pillows. All of her things were stacked neatly in the corner. She looked up from her perch on the edge of the bed as Mal entered.

"Hi, Mal," she said.

"What in the 'verse is this?" he asked.

"I'm leaving," Inara replied. "I'm done, Mal. I can't do this anymore." Mal stared at her. "I saw," she informed him.

"Saw what?"

"You and Halten, last night," Inara replied. Mal raised his eyebrows.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes. I didn't purposely spy on you, if that's what you're thinking. I happened upon you. It was...well, highly intimate, and quite sweet. You have made it very clear to me that you and I will never work. So what do you expect of me, Mal? Do you expect me to lay down and take it, hang my head and look the other way? Because regardless of what you may or may not expect from me, I can't do that. I just can't." Mal couldn't even think of anything to say.

"I already talked to Wash," Inara continued. "The next inner planet we stop on, I'm staying. I'm sorry, Mal, but I just can not stay here and put myself through this." Mal nodded.

"I'm really going to miss you," she said. "All of you." With that, she slid past the Captain, leaving him standing there in her shuttle with the lingering scent of incense and sweet fragrant perfume.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I only own Halten. **

**A/N: For Inara lovers: I apologize in advance. **

He had to talk to her. He had no choice anymore, he couldn't keep putting it off. There were only six days until they would reach Haven, where Halten would leave, and they would most likely never see her again. He couldn't let that happen.

Inara had shocked him, for sure. He knew she was jealous over Halten, but he hadn't expected her to go as far as to just drop it and leave. But she had. They were scheduled to drop her off on Lilac a few days after dropping Halten off on Haven. He had to talk to Halten.

He sought her out, finding her in the engine room with Kaylee. Both women were sitting in their respective hammocks, and they were both laughing. Mal couldn't help but smile at the sound of Halten's musical laughter. They both looked up as Mal entered.

"Hey, Capt'n," Kaylee giggled.

"Hey, Kaylee," he replied, his eyes barely flickering from Halten. "Can I talk to you?" he asked. Halten nodded.

"Sure," she said. Instantly, Kaylee was getting up.

"You guys can stay down here," she said. "I'll go upstairs." She was gone before either of them had a chance to protest, and, after a moment, Mal sank into Kaylee's chair.

"Hey," Halten said.

"Hey," Mal replied. "So, going with our original plan here, you've got about two days until you're on your own again." Halten felt a pang at these words, but tried to keep her expression neutral.

"Yeah," she replied noncommittally.

"That's why I want to talk to you," Mal said. "You know Inara's leaving." Halten nodded. That had shocked her, too. "Everyone here really likes you, Halten," Mal continued. He seemed to be gaining momentum now, so she stayed quiet and let him talk. "Kaylee adores you, Book thinks you're wonderful, Zoe and Wash love you, Simon likes you, even River likes you well as she likes anyone. Jayne...well, he admires you one way or another." Halten had to suppress a smile at this. "Truth is, I like you, too," Mal admitted. "You're a big help around here. You fit in. And you're a gorram good fighter, too. I think having you around has made life in general a mite better for all of us. See, you've been running all your life. Running is who you are, you said so yourself. But the way I see it, everybody's got to settle down some time or other, and I just figured now is as good a time as any." He watched her apprehensively, as though waiting for an answer. She was pretty sure she knew what he was asking, but she needed to be positive. She couldn't exactly give him an answer to a question she wasn't even certain he was asking.

"Mal, I'm sorry, but I'm really not sure I understana what you're asking here," she said.

"I just think since, you know, we've already got two fugitives on board, what's one more, really?" he asked.

"Not much, I guess," Halten replied slowly. Mal sighed, frustrated that he had to spell it out for her.

"Okay. Keep in mind that this is all your decision," he began. Halten nodded, wishing he would just get on with it. "So, if you want it, I'm offering you a place on my crew," he finally said.

"A permanent place?" she asked. Her heart was beating rapidly, and she was praying she was reading his words correctly. Mal nodded affirmatively.

"Only if you want it." he hastened to clarify. He was watching her anxiously, hoping with everything he had that she would say yes. He looked up at her to see a small smile creeping across her face.

"Well, I would say that I agree with you," Halten began. "Everyone has to settle down sometime. And I admit that that time may have come for me. Besides, I can honestly say that there is nowhere I would rather settle down than here." Mal met her eyes, those lovely green-hazel eyes that were currently glittering with a teasing sort of happiness.

"So is that a yes?" he asked. Halten nodded.

"That's a yes," she confirmed. Mal beamed at her. She couldn't contain her happiness, either, which resulted in the two of them sitting there smiling at each other like complete idiots. After a moment, Mal broke the connection.

"I need to go talk to Wash," he said. "Let him know to go straight to Lilac," He paused. "Actually, don't tell anyone you're staying. After Inara leaves, we'll tell everyone." Halten nodded.

"Okay," she agreed. Mal shot her one last smile before leaving. Moments later, Kaylee returned, looking expectantly at Halten.

"Well?" she asked.

"Well what?" Halten asked innocently.

"What did Capt'n want to talk to you about?" Kaylee asked.

"Nothing," Halten said.

"It wasn't nothing!" Kaylee objected indignantly.

"Kaylee," Halten laughed. "I promise you'll know about it soon. Just not yet." Kaylee sighed dramatically.

"Okay," she said. "Since you promised."

"Hey, Wash," said Mal, entering the cockpit. The pilot turned.

"Hey," he replied.

"Just wanted to let you know, there's a change of plans. I need you to fly to Lilac first, instead of Haven," Mal informed him. Wash raised his eyebrows.

"Really?" he asked, and Mal nodded.

"Yeah." Wash studied him.

"Are you trying to figure out a way to delay taking Halten back?" Wash inquired.

"No," Mal answered honestly. "I'm not." Wash nodded.

"Okay," he said. Mal just smiled.

"So," he said. "Lilac first, right?" Wash nodded affirmatively.

"Sure thing."

"Shiny," Mal replied, before turning and leaving just as quickly as he had come.

His next stop was Inara's shuttle. Trying to overlook the bareness of the place, he knocked.

"It's not really my shuttle anymore, Mal," Inara said. "It's yours. You can come and go as you please." He nodded.

"Just wanted to let you know, we're going to Lilac first, instead of Haven. Should be about two days." Inara nodded.

"Okay. Thank you for letting me know," she said.

"Sure," he replied. He hesitated. "Listen, Inara," the Captain began, "I'm sorry if I ever hurt you. I just have..." he trailed off, looking for the right word.

"Standards?" she supplied quietly.

"I guess that's the best way to put it," he agreed. "I just want you to know that I think you've got a lot going for you, and I hope you find what you're looking for." Inara looked curiously at him.

"What I'm looking for?" she repeated.

"Yeah." He perched himself on the edge of the bed, glancing around at the near-empty shuttle.

"All of us have been running for so long, Inara," he said. "Running has become who we are. But really, are we runnin' from Alliance anymore? On the surface, we are. But underneath? What are we really running from? We all think we're running from Alliance, just trying to survive and keep from getting caught. But are we? We've all got demons to fight. Question is, are we fighting them? Or are we just runnin'?" Inara stayed quiet, listening to Mal. Since when had he become so smart? "So what I'm saying is, I hope you can face your demons, because I think once you find the courage to, you can fight them and win." He stood up and went to the door. In the doorway, he paused, glancing back at her.

"We're going to miss you, too," he said quietly. And then he was gone, leaving Inara alone with her packed-up possesions and swirling thoughts.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I own Halten, but nothing else. **

**A/N: I will do this chapter and also the next today….then I have exams and it will be a while most likely until I can update again. Thanks for reading! Xx-Cassie**

The night before they were scheduled to land on Lilac, the crew put together a sort of farewell dinner for Inara. They all took their places at the table. Halten found herself feeling slightly uncomfortable. She knew that she was the reason Inara was leaving to begin with. Did she really belong here? But she stayed nonetheless, taking her seat quietly.

Over dinner, they shared stories about Inara, talking, laughing, enjoying themselves. Halten stayed quiet, allwoing them to have their time with Inara, fearful of imposing.

After dinner, Halten was going to help Kaylee and Zoe with dishes, but Inara tapped her on the shoulder and Halten turned.

"Can I talk to you?" Inara asked. Halten nodded, wondering what was in store for her.

"Of course." She set her dinner plate back down on the table, following Inara upstairs. Halten followed the other woman's lead and sat next to her on the edge of the landing, looking out at the entirety of the much-loved spaceship. They were both quiet for a few moments. Halten waited, letting Inara lead, going at her pace.

"I've always loved it here," she began finally. "It's like I told you. I fell in love with Serenity the moment I got here." she smiled ruefully. "It took me a little longer to fall in love with Mal. He's really something, you know?" Halten nodded.

"Yeah," she agreed softly. "I know."

"He said to me a couple of days ago," Inara began, "That he hopes I find what I'm looking for. Having no clue what he meant, I asked. He said that we've all been running so long, telling ourselves that we're running from Alliance. But he asked me, what are we really running from? Are we running just because that's what we know how to do?" Inara paused, glancing over at Halten. She was young, beautiful, vivacious, intelligent, and strong. Inara found herself wondering what Halten's demons were, and if she'd yet had the courage to face them. "Mal really got me thinking,"Inara continued. "He said that running has become who we are. He told me that he thinks once I find the courage to, I'll be able to fight my demons and win. It just made me think, maybe he's right. maybe we're afraid to come out of our shells, our comfort zones. People may think we're being brave by running from Alliance, but we're not. We're hiding. It started out as a fight, a rebellion. But now, I think it's become a way of life. Maybe all of this..." she gestured to herself, Halten, and the now-empty dinner table below them, "...maybe it's for the best. You and I are stepping out of our comfort zones. I'm coming out of my hidey-hole for the first time. Instead of burying myself in Serenity, in this crew, this life, I'm making my own life. You have been on your own practically all your life, you've never been a part of this, this family life. You took a huge leap by agreeing to stay, and I took a huge leap by leaving." She read the surprised, caught expression on Halten's face and laughed lightly.

"I'm not an idiot, Halten," she said. "I figured it out." Halten nodded slightly.

"YOu and Mal have the potential to be good together," Inara said. "But be careful."

"What do you mean?" Halten asked.

"He has trouble letting go sometimes," Inara replied. "With you, it seems to come easier. But still, just...procede with caution." Halten nodded.

"Inara?" she asked quietly.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "For showing up like this, for wrecking everything for you."

"You know, at first I was angry about it," Inara admitted. "But like I said, I think it had turned into an opportunity for both of us. So I'm not angry or upset. You don't need to apologize to me, Halten."

"Thank you," she replied. Inara stood up, Halten following suit. Then, just as Mal glanced up at them, the two women embraced. Mal found himself wondering if either of them would ever cease to surprise and amaze him.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Nope. Just Halten. Nothing else. **** As usual. **

**A/N: As promised, the second chapter for today. **** another cliffy…sorry. Sort of. **

They bade farewell to Inara on Lilac the next morning. Once Serenity was back in the air, Mal approached Halten.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Ready," she confirmed.

"Good," he answered with a small smile. then, he reached for the intercom microphone.

"Okay, everyone, I need you in the main room. Announcement time." With that, he hung up, the speaker clanking as he did so. He and Halten shared a look as they left the cockpit and walked out into the open area where the crew had gathered, looking curious. Mal did a quick survey, counting heads; Zoe, Wash, Kaylee, Jayne, Simon, River, Book. All accounted for. Every single one of them was watching Mal and Halten, looking highly interested, and, in his opinion, far too invested.

"Okay, since everyone is here, Halten and I have an announcement to make," Mal said. He didn't even need to raise his voice; everyone was listening raptly. He looked at Halten, handing the reins over to her.

"Well," she began, "as all of you know, I've been here on Serenity for almost three weeks. Thanks to Kaylee, I have had to privilege of not only living, but also getting to know all of you on one level or another. Some of you on a deeper, more intimate plane than others." She glanced at Mal, who couldn't help but smile at her, still marveling at how she affected him so profoundly. "I should've been taken back to Haven two weeks ago, but by a combination of extenuating circumstances and, I suspect, a fair amount of planning on _someone's_ part, I am still here." Mal picked up for her there, as if it were planned.

"I know that all of us, myself included, have greatly enjoyed having Halten around. She has proven herself more than capable of taking care of herself, as well as any of us, if need be."

"So," Halten continued, "Mal has made me an offer that I simply could not resist."

"The offer being," Mal continued, "A permanent place on Serenity."

It took them a minute to comprehend, still reeling from the rapid-fire session of finishing one another's sentences. Kaylee was the first to catch on.

"You're staying?" she asked. Halten smiled at her.

"I'm staying," she confirmed. Kaylee shrieked and vaulted from her seat, throwing herself at Halten in a bone-crushing hug. Halten laughed, hugging her back. When Kaylee finally pulled back, she launched herself at Mal. He, too, laughed as he hugged her. The others had now also risen from their seats.

"Welcome to the crew," Zoe said, hugging Halten as well.

"Thank you," she replied. Everyone chattered, welcomed, and congratulated for a while. Halten felt welcomed, loved, as if she belonged here. Around the rest of the crew, Mal and Halten's eyes met. They shared a smile before the connection was broken by the constant movement. Halten found that the heat blooming in her stomach no longer surprised her.

Within a couple of days, they had another job. It, like the previous one, was simple. On the other hand, it was on the planet Jiangyin. The last time they had landed there, Simon had been kidnapped. But they needed the money now more than ever, with the loss of the rent from Inara. Mal didn't really have much of a choice but to take the job. They landed on Jiangyin early in the morning. After breakfast, Jayne, Mal, Zoe, and Halten geared up and went out to collect the cargo. The job went fine; smooth, simple, easy. The whole crew ate lunch together on Serenity. Then, they all went out

Mal and Halten had been walking together, until Halten decided to go into a clothing store, needing clothes of her own. Mal bowed out, joking about men and clothes. He waved goodbye to her as she entered the shop.

Halten found several things in the shop that she wanted, and was just about to purchase them when someone grabbed her from behind. Whomever it was put a hand over her mouth, the other hand pressing the icy steel of a gun into her side.

"Keep quiet, or Mal dies," the person whispered.. Halten felt her heart rate quicken, but nodded nonetheless. Whomever had captured her knew enough about her to know that she would do anything to keep Mal safe. The man led Halten out the back door of the shop. Then, she was blindfolded and led on foot for quite a while. She counted 1, 210 steps, storing that information in case she needed it. She was then shoved into a small, dark, damp place. A basement. Good. That meant that, for now at least, they couldn't take her to a different planet. Then, the blindfold came off and Halten was free to lok around, not that there was much to see. It was a small square room with cinder block walls and a concrete floor.

"What do you want?" she asked. Her captor was large; bulky, muscular, but masked.

"Information."

"On what?"

"Simon and River Tam."

"_What?_" She was shocked. If they were looking for Simon and River, then they had to be Alliance. But if they were Alliance, shouldn't they be looking for her?

"YOu heard me," he replied. "The Tams. what do you know?"

"Who are you?" Halten asked.

"Irrelevant," was the reply. "I need information on the Tam siblings."

"ARe you Alliance?" she asked.

"No."

"Then what in the 'verse do you want with River and Simon Tam?" she asked.

"Again, irrelevant," replied her captor calmly. "You're a part of the crew. Tell me what you know about them."  
"Look, if you're not Alliance, but you know enough about simon and River to be interested, chances are I don't know anything more than you do," she reasoned.

"You live with them," he replied. "You know what she's like, you know what he's like with her. those are the things that I have no way of knowing."

"Why do you care?" she asked.

"Because she's interesting. she's a phenomenon." He spoke about River with a kind of reverence that sent chills down Halten's spine.

"I'm not telling you anything," she declared. The next thing she knew, she was on the ground, having been slapped hard across the face. As Halten looked back at her captor, she could only pray that Mal would find her soon.

They were supposed to meet back on Serenity by half an hour before dark. That was the agreement and he knew that Halten knew that. Matter of fact, she wholeheartedly agreed with it. That was what worried him the most. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that if she could've, she would have been here. He was pacing back and forth anxiously, while the rest of the crew just watched him.

"We need to look for her," he said.

"Sir, it's barely dusk," Zoe said

"She would've been here," he insisted.

"Mal, give it a few minutes," Wash said. Mal whirled to face them.

"What if she doesn't have a few minutes?" he demanded. "For all we know, she could be in the same shape she was in when we found her? Or worse?"

"Capt'n, calm down," Kaylee said.

"No, I won't calm down," Mal said furiously. His eyes were blazing as he looked arouind at them all, looking positively murderous.

"Clearly, none of you know her half as well as I do, or you would be out there already!" he said. "I;m going." He turned on his heel and began to walk away.

"It's us," River said. Mal turned. She had that...tone in he voice, the one that Mal had come to associate with shutting up and listening. .

"What do you mean, Little One?" he asked.

"Me and Simon," she said. "She's gone because of us."

"what do you mean, gone?" Mal asked.

"They took her."

"Who?" Mal inquired. "Who took her, River?"

"I don't know."

"Alliance?" he asked.

"No. Not Alliance."

"Not Alliance?" Mal repeated.

"No. She's still here, though. On Jiangyin."

"She is? You're sure?" he confirmed.

"Yes." Mal turned, facing his crew again, his blue eyes darkening.

"I'm going out there, and I am going to find Halten. If any of you are coming, wwe're going now." In near unison, Zoe, Wash, Jayne, Kaylee, Book, Simon, and River stood up.

"Get armed, you have two minutes," he said shortly. Immediately, they all rushed off. Mal paused as soon as they were all out of the room, leaning over the table. He took a shaky breath, briefly closing his eyes. He couldn't help but imagine the worst. A million awful scenarios were running through his mind. He just wanted Halten home safe, and would stop at nothing to get here here, back in his arms, where he knew she was alright.

less than two minutes later, the entire crew was out of the ship, out on a mission to find Halten.


End file.
